Page 24 of Drakhana's Secret
“Oh no you don’t!” I turn around and hurry back to the camp. If I get there first, maybe there is still a way to convince everyone that what Gallant is proposing will mean death to us all. I can’t have him bulldozing his way through this.
I can feel Gallant right behind me. Damn his long legs and large stride. Even if I make it to the camp first, he’s the one who calls for a meeting.
Our people gather around the both of us. I don’t wait for everyone to get to where we are standing. I begin speaking my piece.
“Brethren, please listen to me,” I say. “We need to stay together. That is the only way that we can stay safe. That is the only way that we can protect each other.”
There are nods from the elders at my words. They know our ways and that’s not with a fist. We can find other places to go.
“The only way we can protect each other is if we show those ice and fire clan bastards what we’re made of,” Gallant says above my words. “The earth clan was once the most powerful clan among us. Why must we throw all that away now?”
Of course, the warriors that came with Gallant all agree with him. They are skewing the crowd toward their cause.
“Fighting is not our way,” I reiterate. “We are a peace-loving clan.”
“That is exactly why we were defeated,” Gallant says. “We need to be able to show our teeth. We can’t just run away with our tails between our legs.”
“If we work together,” I say, raising my voice, “we can rebuild our lives anew elsewhere. This world is big enough for us.”
“San Francisco is our territory.” Gallant raises his chin. “It’s our last bastion. If we ever want any hope of rebuilding our villages again, we need to take back the city and regroup there. It’s the only way we will all survive this.”
“Please, don’t listen to him.” I make an impassioned plea. “This is a suicide mission that will surely get us all killed. We can find another way.”
“You’ve heard all our arguments,” Gallant steps in. “There is only one way that we can solve this. I call for a vote.”
The entire crowd around us waits. There are murmurs going around. Dragon’s are conferring with each other. I stand on the log and look out at all of them.
“Fine, we vote,” I say. “It is our way. Those who want to stay and find another way for us? Please raise your hand.”
I raise my hand along with a majority of the elders and the young ones. I make a head count. I immediately notice that the warriors aren’t raising their hands. The ugly taste of bile climbs up my throat at the realization that’s about to hit me.
Gallant climbs up on his own log and says, “And those who want to come with me and fight? Raise your hands.”
He raises his hands and all the able-bodied dragons join him. Even the warriors for the village raise their hands. We will go unprotected as they fly into the city without any hope of ever returning.
I step down from the log, knowing when to admit defeat. I’ve said my piece. There’s no way I can convince those who have already made up their minds otherwise.
“Done!” Gallant announces. “We fly out to the city the next day. We start our preparations with a strategy meeting in an hour.”
Sixteen
Gallant
Iknew my mistake the moment I made it. I shouldn’t have gone around Sapphire like that and forced a vote. Not after the connection we made in the forest.
But that’s the way earth dragons do things. We vote and whatever the outcome of the vote that’s what we follow. The hurt in her eyes was unmistakable.
I can see her side of things. She wants to protect our people. I want the same thing. I just have a different way of going about that task.
All day I’ve been in meeting after meeting, making plans and preparations for what we’re about to do in the city. This is a gamble, I acknowledge that. But I also know that I will take any possibility of winning if it means taking our territory back. Our pride as a clan is at stake.
Some of the elderly even came forward and joined the meetings. They may not be able to fly out and fight, but they can give advice. Some of them have years of experience and have read all the books on strategy.
I was willing to listen. We all were. Any help that we can get is much appreciated.
As much as possible, I want to come home triumphant for my people. I want to bring home our warriors alive. I can’t avoid injury, but I hope to at least avoid death.
A some point during the day food was brought to our meetings. I get the feeling Sapphire has something to do with the good gesture. She is a saint without a single vindictive bone in her body.
